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While the majority of summer tours in college basketball consist of teams making the trek overseas (or to Canada) together, there are all all-star teams put together to represent a conference or some other entity. The Pac-12 has put together an all-star team of sorts in recent years, and on Tuesday they announced the 12-member squad that will visit Australia to play three games in early July.

Two of those games will be played against the Australian men’s national team, which will be preparing for the Summer Olympics to be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August.

The coaching staff will be led by Mike Montgomery, who led the programs at both Stanford and California before retiring in 2014, with former Stanford head coach Trent Johnson and former Stanford players Casey Jacobsen and Brevin Knight serving as his assistants. Ten of the conference’s 12 teams will be represented on the roster, with Oregon (which has some players hoping to reach the Olympics for other countries) and UCLA being the teams without a player making the trip.

Also of note for Oregon is the fact that they’ll be taking a summer trip to Spain in August, so their players are already set up for a busy summer.

Arizona and Oregon State will each have two players on the roster, with Kadeem Allen and Chance Comanche making the trip representing Sean Miller’s program and Drew Eubanks and Stephen Thompson Jr. doing so for Wayne Tinkle’s program. Of the 12 players two earned honorable mention all-conference honors (USC’s Jordan McLaughlin and Washington State’s Josh Hawkinson), and Colorado’s Wesley Gordon was a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection.

Below is the full roster, and the team is scheduled to depart for Australia from Los Angeles July 7.

More League Previews

Beginning in October and running up through November 13th, the first day of the regular season, College Basketball Talk will be unveiling the 2015-2016 NBCSports.com college hoops preview package.

Today, we are previewing the Pac-12.

Sean Miller’s Arizona Wildcats were expected to win the Pac-12 in 2014-15 and that’s exactly how things played out, with Arizona winning the league’s regular season and tournament titles while leading the way in both offensive and defensive efficiency. But with four starters from that 34-4 team having moved on, the Wildcats will have a much different look this season even with the amount of talent added by Miller and his staff. That opens the door for other contenders, with multiple teams having the combination of returnees and newcomers needed to make a run at the Pac-12 crown.

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. Two decisions within a four-week span changed California’s expectations in a big way: With Tyrone Wallace, Jordan Mathews and Jabari Bird back and Georgetown transfer Stephen Domingo eligible to play, California was in a position to rebound from a tough 2014-15 season. But things changed when five-star prospects Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown committed within a four-week period to play for Cuonzo Martin. Now the Golden Bears are a team many have pegged as capable of not only winning the Pac-12 but making waves nationally as well.

2. Arizona reloads with a combination of transfers and highly touted freshmen: With T.J. McConnell being a senior and Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Brandon Ashley expected to be headed to the pro ranks, Arizona prepared for the likelihood that they’d have a lot of holes to fill in their roster. So Arizona added a quartet of quality freshmen led by guard Allonzo Trier, a grad student in former San Francisco combo forward Mark Tollefsen, and two transfers who sat out last season in Kadeem Allen (redshirted after arriving from Hutchinson CC) and Ryan Anderson (Boston College). This group will join returnees led by senior center Kaleb Tarczewski in hopes of keeping the Wildcats on top of the Pac-12.

3. Bobby Hurley takes over at Arizona State: There was just one coaching change in the Pac-12, with Arizona State moving on from Herb Sendek and bringing in one of the greatest point guards in college basketball history. Hurley may have only two years of college head coaching experience under his belt but they were a productive two years, as he led Buffalo to 19 wins in 2013-14 and an NCAA tournament appearance last season. A tough non-conference schedule will test the Sun Devils before Pac-12 play begins, but Hurley can call upon players such as guards Tra Holder and Gerry Blakes and forward Savon Goodman in his debut in Tempe.

4. Just two first team All Pac-12 selections from last season return: Only the aforementioned Wallace, who’s an early frontrunner for Pac-12 Player of the Year, and Oregon State senior guard Gary Payton II (who, amidst some controversy, won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year) return to campus this season. And of the five players who earned second team all-conference honors only two (Oregon forward Elgin Cook and Utah guard Brandon Taylor) are back. That opens up a lot of slots for those two teams, especially with the conference placing ten players on its first team.

5. Oregon State added one of the best recruiting classes in program history: Much of the focus on this group will be on Tres Tinkle and Stephen Thompson Jr., due not only to their talent but also the fact that their fathers are on staff at OSU. Head coach Wayne Tinkle landed a six-member freshman class expected to give the program the additional depth and talent they missed a season ago. Oregon State won 17 games in Tinkle’s debut, and with all five starters back (led by Payton) they could make a run at the program’s first NCAA bid since 1990.

Favorite: “Nine of the 12 teams are returning at least three starters, so most of the teams are returning a lot of experience and a lot of those teams had good seasons on top of that. I think the league’s going to be deeper than it was last year, and I thought it was good last year. I expect Arizona, Cal, UCLA, Utah and Oregon that either return a lot or are bringing in a lot of heralded players. So I think those are the teams people are expecting to have really strong seasons.”

Best player: “I think Tyrone Wallace is poised to have a really good year. He’s a senior, and all the experience he’s gained I expect him to have a big year. Jakob Poeltl’s poised to have a really good sophomore season as he’s really talented, and I think Josh Scott too. The injuries really slowed his (junior) year down, and you could tell he just wasn’t right. If he’s healthy he’s formidable as well.”

Most underrated player: “A player who to me doesn’t get the respect he really deserves is Bryce Alford. I think the expectations on him are so high, and having competed against him and watching his game I think he’s an underrated player.”

PRESEASON PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyrone Wallace, California

Wallace returns to Berkeley as one of the top point guards (and players, period) in the country. As a junior the Bakersfield native averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and he was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award as a result. With the amount of talent around him, Wallace will be able to continue to be a playmaker while not having as much pressure on him to score.

THE REST OF THE ALL PAC-12 FIRST TEAM:

Gary Payton II, Oregon State: Payton ranked first on his team in scoring, rebounding and steals and second in assists and blocks last season.

Jaylen Brown, California: In a conference that won’t lack for talented freshmen, this Georgia native may be the best of the bunch. He’ll play multiple positions for the Golden Bears.

Elgin Cook, Oregon: One could argue that teammate Dillon Brooks would be a good choice here. But don’t overlook Cook, who averaged 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season.

Jakob Poeltl, Utah: Poeltl (9.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) didn’t land on either all-conference team last season, but he’s added some weight and has the tools needed to make sure that doesn’t happen this time around.

FIVE MORE NAMES TO KNOW:

Ryan Anderson and Ray Smith, Arizona

Bryce Alford and Jonah Bolden, UCLA

Brandon Taylor, Utah

Tyler Dorsey, Oregon

Ivan Rabb, California

BREAKOUT STAR: Dillon Brooks, Oregon

Brooks was one of the top freshmen in the Pac-12 last season, averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest. He, like teammate Tyler Dorsey (Greece), made a positive impression at the FIBA U19 World Championships (18.8 ppg) this summer and earned a spot on Canada’s silver medal squad at the Pan-American games as well. With Joseph Young in the NBA the Ducks will need Brooks to step forward as a scorer, and he’s capable of doing so.

COACH UNDER PRESSURE: Lorenzo Romar, Washington

The Huskies haven’t reached the NCAA tournament since 2011 and they missed out on postseason play in each of the last two years. What works in Romar’s favor is the fact that they’ve recruited well in the 2015 class, and they’ve got a five-star prospect in Markelle Fultz coming in next season. The Huskies will be very young this year, which may provide a buffer of sorts for the coaching staff.

ON SELECTION SUNDAY WE’LL BE SAYING … : can any of these team’s end the Pac-12’s Final Four dry spell?

I’M MOST EXCITED ABOUT : the race for the Pac-12 title, which should be tight throughout.

1. Arizona: The newcomers may be the focus, but mainstays such as Tarczewski, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Gabe York will be just as important for this group.
2. Oregon: Losing Joseph Young hurts, but their returnees don’t lack for talent and the additions have given them needed depth on the perimeter (Dorsey, Dylan Ennis) and in the paint (Chris Boucher).
3. California: The talent is most certainly there for a Pac-12 title run. But do the Golden Bears have the interior depth (Kameron Rooks missed last season with a torn ACL) they need to get it done?
4. Utah: The one starter who didn’t return (Delon Wright) was a huge factor, but the Runnin’ Utes have enough back to make this prediction look conservative come March.
5. UCLA: The additions of Aaron Holiday and Jonah Bolden certainly help as the Bruins look to account for the loss of NBA draft pick Norman Parker.
6. Oregon State: Is this the year that Oregon State’s NCAA tournament drought ends? It could be, depending upon how the newcomers and returnees mesh.
7. Arizona State: Four of the team’s top five scorers from last season return, and South Plains JC transfer gives them another perimeter scoring option.
8. Colorado: Josh Scott’s one of the top post players in the Pac-12. But the Buffaloes will need breakthrough seasons from Dominique Collier and George King in light of Xavier Johnson’s Achilles injury.
9. USC: The Trojans are young but they won’t lack for talent, especially with freshman forwards Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu in the fold. They need Jordan McLaughlin to stay healthy though.
10. Stanford: The triumvirate of Chasson Randle, Anthony Brown and Stefan Nastic have moved on, leaving Johnny Dawkins with a young team that includes sophomores Robert Cartwright, Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey.
11. Washington: Senior guard Andrew Andrews will lead an incredibly young team, with freshmen such as Dejounte Murray, Marquese Chriss and Noah Dickerson among those who will compete for minutes.
12. Washington State: Josh Hawkinson, the league’s most improved player last season, is back as are two other starters. But the loss of DaVonte’ Lacy leaves a big void for Ernie Kent to account for.

On May 21, the Pac-12 presidents issued a letter to the other four power conferences, listing 10 key objectives for reform. While objectives included strengthening Academic Progress Report requirements and providing proper medical care for injuries student-athletes suffered during practice or competition, the proposed change regarding the “one-and-done” rule grab the most attention.

The NBA age requirement is currently 19-years-old. If the NBA fails to raise that age limit, Pac-12 presidents have proposed this change:

7. Address the “one and done” phenomenon in men’s basketball. If the National Basketball Association and its Players Association are unable to agree on raising the age limit for players, consider restoring the freshman ineligibility rule in men’s basketball.

Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar appeared on KJR’s Elise and Jerry late this week to discuss the proposed reform. During the interview, Romar provided reasons as to why the change would not be effective (transcribed by Percy Allen of the Seattle Times):

“That rule if it was in place this past year, Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Julius Randle, those guys would sit out and practice everyday,” Romar said. “The NBA guys come and watch practice and then they draft them anyway after their freshman year without playing a game. That’s what I think would happen.

“Back when you could come out of high school they were drafting kids before they practiced in college. They drafted them straight out of high school so that’s not going to prevent them from still coming out after a year.”

The rule that requires a basketball player to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school in order to be eligible for the NBA Draft is something that was put into effect by the NBA and its players association. And while new commissioner Adam Silver has stated on multiple occasions that one of this primary goals is to add another year to the rule, it will take the approval of the NBPA to get that done.

So where does college basketball sit in all of this? There really isn’t a whole lot the NCAA and its programs can do, outside of speaking with the decision makers who will decide the fate of said rule. However, in a letter sent to the members of the other four power conferences (football’s Power Five) the presidents of the Pac-12 have an idea of what to do should the NBA not raise its age limit.

7. Address the “one and done” phenomenon in men’s basketball. If the National Basketball Association and its Players Association are unable to agree on raising the age limit for players, consider restoring the freshman ineligibility rule in men’s basketball.

It should be noted that this was just one of the changes suggested by the presidents with the goal being to restore “academic primacy to the mission of intercollegiate athletics.” Other ideas stated include making sure athletes receive proper medical care for injuries suffered in practices of games, and making sure athletes remain on scholarship until they complete their degree provided they’re in good academic standing.

So some of those initiatives are well-meaning. But to consider making freshmen ineligible to compete? Not so much, especially when considering the fact that this move was suggested in just one sport: men’s basketball.

The NBA/NBPA requiring athletes to be two years removed from high school may not have much of an effect on how many decide to take an alternate route (D-League, Europe, etc.) to the NBA as opposed to attending college, because under that rule the player would be able to play college basketball. And if collegiate athletics were to go along with the idea of making freshmen ineligible, how many elite players would hang around for two years if the NBA didn’t require them to?

Sure some will argue that such a measure would keep those who seemingly don’t want to be in college from using it as a pit stop, but would that really be the case? The return of freshman ineligibility would likely mean the loss of player who, despite spending just one year in school, take full advantage of their time on campus. And for all the love given to productive upperclassmen, those elite freshmen are also capable of sparking enthusiasm amongst sports fans (see: last November’s Champions Classic).

And if the road to academic “reform” includes making freshmen sit, will the powers that be do anything to limit the amount of time teams spend on the road (especially in March)? Going to guess that there won’t be any changes on that front any time soon.

With the rapid increase in the amount of money that conferences receive from television networks, leagues and their members have been able to benefit in a number of ways. There’s the exposure that comes with those deals, and there’s also the increased revenue that leads to better salaries and facilities for many programs.

However, as Pac-12 basketball coaches have learned in recent years, there’s also a cost to be considered. The cost that had some coaches up in arms this past season had to do with scheduling, as the league moved further away from the traditional “Thursday-Saturday” setup that had been a staple of Pac-12 hoops in years past.

During the conference’s meetings in Phoenix earlier this week the topic was discussed, and according to Doug Haller of AZCentral.com coaches are hopeful that commissioner Larry Scott will make some changes. But will the conference move back to the “old school” way of doing things with its conference schedule?

While there may be some wiggle room, turning back the clock from a scheduling standpoint seems unlikely given Scott’s thoughts on the matter.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said the conference’s television deals have brought in added revenue and exposure, but in doing so conference games have had to shift to different days.

“We’re not going to radically change our scheduling approach, but there is room for some tweaking here and there,” he said.

The 2013-14 season featured some peculiar weeks for teams within the Pac-12, with Arizona State’s final week of the regular season consisting of a game on a Tuesday night at Oregon (March 4), following by a game at Oregon State on Saturday (March 8). Other teams had to navigate a Wednesday-Sunday split, which presents the question of what to do in between games.

Do you fly back to campus, thus avoiding missing more class time than on a “usual” road trip? Or do you remain on the road, which would eliminate the possibility of players becoming too fatigued from flying back and forth? Should this be a question for programs? There are arguments on both sides, but ultimately in this era what the networks want tends to take precedence.

And given just how much is being paid to broadcast games, especially in the revenue sports, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.